SYRACUSE METS DEFEAT KNIGHTS 6-5

Luis Guillorme had two hits, a walk, and an RBI for Syracuse on Thursday night. (Danny Tripodi)

Syracuse, NY (June 13, 2019) - Rajai Davis walked with the bases loaded in the eighth inning to give the Syracuse Mets the go-ahead run in a rubber-match victory over the Charlotte Knights, 6-5, on Thursday night at NBT Bank Stadium. The win gives the Mets the series victory over the Knights with two wins in the three-game series.

Charlotte (36-29) got a quick run in the top of the first. With two outs, Paulo Orlando singled. Daniel Palka followed with a double, scoring Orlando from first base for a 1-0 Knights lead. 

Syracuse (32-34) answered in a big way in the bottom of the first. Rajai Davis walked, Ruben Tejada singled, and two batters later, Travis Taijeron singled to load the bases. Colton Turner then threw a wild pitch, allowing Davis to score from third, tying the game, 1-1. Grégor Blanco then singled home both Tejada and Taijeron for a 3-1 lead. Arismendy Alcantara followed with a double that plated Blanco for a 4-1 advantage. Luis Guillorme put the exclamation point on the inning with a single to score Alcantara to make it a 5-1 ballgame.

The Knights responded in the second, Ivan De Jesús Jr. doubled with one out. Later in the frame, Joel Booker doubled with two outs to score De Jesús Jr. and bring the Knights within three, 5-2. 

In the fifth inning, Booker brought the Knights a run closer with a solo home run to lead off the inning to cut the deficit to 5-3.

Those were the only two runs Walker Lockett gave up in 5 and 2/3 innings pitched. The right-hander allowed six hits and picked up four strikeouts. Lockett replaced Major League rehabber Justin Wilson after Wilson gave up one earned run on two hits in the first inning but with two strikeouts.

The Knights tied the game in the eighth. Palka started the inning with a double and moved to third on a flyout. Alcides Escobar followed with a double, scoring Palka to pull Charlotte within a run, 5-4. Then, Escobar scored on a De Jesús Jr. singled up the middle to tie the game, 5-5.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Syracuse rallied back. With one out, Guillorme walked, Plaia singled, and Aaron Altherr walked to load the bases with one out. Rajai Davis then picked up an RBI on a walk to give Syracuse the lead back, 6-5.

Syracuse reliever Paul Sewald came on in the ninth to pick up the save. He allowed one hit but got back-to-back clutch outs to end the game with Charlotte’s tying run left on second base and the go-ahead run on first.

Syracuse continues its six-day homestand with the first game of a three-game series against the Gwinnett Stripers on Friday night. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. at NBT Bank Stadium.